THE BEST SORT OF WINCH-LINES. 17 



rings causes them to fray. A line that frays 

 never runs freely through the rings, either in 

 casting, or in playing a fish. Many a hooked fish 

 is lost by the sudden hitching of a frayed line in 

 one of the top rings, and many a rod is broken 

 by a similar incident. Winch- or reel-lines should 

 be always platted, because they have a greater 

 tendency to lie at length than in coils, and they 

 are not liable to fray. The materials of which 

 they are made can, in the manufacture, be com- 

 pressed into a slighter volume, so that a thin 

 platted line shall be stronger than a thick twisted 

 one. Platted lines should be made of silk and 

 hair ; the silk predominating, and being of good 

 quality. The reason that many of the platted 

 lines now made are too light is, that the silk used 

 in the fabrication of them, is the worst quality 

 of Chinese silk. If substantial, raw Italian, or 

 Persian silk were used, lines would not only be 

 stronger but heavier, and thin ones would suffice 

 to carry out heavy casting-lines and flies. I have 

 seen platted lines made of silk and fine gut, and 

 I am of opinion that if they were made with 

 care, and of materials carefully selected, they 

 would be the best of all winch-lines. They could 

 be thrown farther, would be less liable to kink, 

 and would be more enduring than any other 

 c 



